\\\'BD mangoes to enter Europe\\\'s super shops\\\'

Speakers at a programme Sunday said apart from the ethnic markets, local mango would be exported to the mainstream market in Europe as foreign chain shops were now sourcing mangoes from Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi Langra, Himsagar, Suryapuri, Haribhanga, Fajli, Gopalbhog and other varieties have great potential to attract the European mango lovers, they said at the opening ceremony of mango export to the Walmart chain shop in the UK.
Hortex Foundation in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) organised the programme at AKM Giasuddin Milky Auditorium in the city.
However, Bangladeshi mango entered the mainstream market of Europe with a consignment of 2.73 tonnes of Langra and Amrapoli varieties of mangoes sent from Satkhira to the Walmart chain shop in the UK on Sunday.
Mangoes were exported under the ongoing project titled "Development of Food Control Guidelines and Pilot Implementation across Horticulture Value Chain" being implemented jointly by Hortex Foundation, DAE and FAO's Food Safety Programme (FSP).
 While speaking as the chief guest, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice Chairman Shubhashish Bose said Bangladesh exports fruits and vegetables to different countries. Of the total, 40 per cent are exported to the UK alone.
He said other fruits including mango as well as vegetables are traded only in the ethnic markets, but those have no access to high value shops (super chains) in the UK or other EU countries.
The latest initiative created a new horizon for Bangladeshi fruits in the EU market, he added.
Managing Director of Hortex Foundation Dr Md Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan said that the project was being implemented in 25 upazilas under nine districts in the country.
The main aim of the project is to train 30 master trainers from DAE senior officials, 100 lead trainers from DAE field level officers, 500 lead farmers who grow mango, potato, brinjal and tomato and 100 value chain actors.
The project, which was launched last year (2014), has also targeted linking the producers with local exporters and foreign importers, he said.
Assistant General Manager of Hortex Foundation Mitul K Saha said local mango will also be exported to the ASDA chain shop in the UK.
He informed reporters that the local firm 'Dip International' had been linked to the UK-based International Procurement Logistic (IPL) to supply fruits to Walmart and ASDA.
During the mango season last year, Hortex, FAO and DAE arranged field visit for UK mango experts in three districts including Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi and Satkhira.
After the visit, a sample shipment of nine mango varieties was sent to IPL, he said, adding that Walmart and ASDA chain shops showed their interest to buy Langra, Amrapoli and Himsagar varieties.
DAE director general AZM Momtazul Karim, value chain expert at Hortex Foundation Dr Md Saleh Ahmed, its assistant general manager Md Rafiqul Islam and FAO representative to Bangladesh Mike Robson, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
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